Archive for the ‘"Mister Rogers Neighborhood"’ Category

There are things that happen in this world that we sometimes just don’t understand. The attacks on 9/11. The tragedy at Newtown. The recent bombings at the Boston Marathon. Lives are lost, questions go unanswered, and it’s easy to lose faith in humanity when such heart-breaking acts of violence continue to occur.

As we seek to make sense of what we’re seeing on the news, many have referred to Mr. Rogers’ sage advice to “look for the helpers” in times of tragedies. In his 1999 Archive interview, the man who taught us to embrace the world of make-believe also taught us how to hold on to hope when bad things happen in the real world:

A very special someone celebrates a birthday today. The honorable King Friday XIII, ruler of Calendarland in Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, is the birthday boy not only today, but every Friday the 13th! King Friday paid us a visit during our 1999 interview with Mr. Rogers and we learned how the King got his name:

Forty years ago, on February 19th, 1968, Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood premiered. Originally titled Misterogers (as its precursor had been called in Canada) the show emanated from WQED Pittsburgh and aired on EEN (Eastern Educational Network). The series moved to PBS in 1970. Production ceased in 2001. Sadly, Fred Rogers passed away in 2003; the series continues to air nationwide.

“My mother, as long as I could remember, made at least one sweater every month. And at Christmas time she would give us each a hand-knit sweater. And so, until she died, those zipper sweaters that I wear on The Neighborhood were all made by my mother. We would open up the boxes at Christmas and, and we’d all try on the sweaters. Then she would say, ‘Okay, now what kind of do you want next year? Now, I know what kind you want, Freddy, you want the one with the zipper up the front.’ There are ties that many people don’t know, just watching certain programs and it makes the experience so much deeper to know from whence Mr. McFeely came or where the sweaters came from. And the music is a huge part of my work. That was always my way of saying who I was and how I felt. In those days, you didn’t speak your feelings as much as express them artistically. I was always able to cry or laugh or say I was angry through the tips of my fingers on the piano. I would go to the piano, even when I was five years old, and start to play how I felt. So it was very natural for me to become a composer. Having written all of the music for The Neighborhood, I feel as if that’s one of my gifts to children. Here is a way that doesn’t hurt you or anybody else, to say who you are and how you feel.”

Interview description:In his 4-1/2 hour interview, Fred Rogers described his work as the creator and host of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, which began its run in 1968. He described the show’s evolution, which started with Misterogers which he produced in Canada for the CBC. He described each aspect of the show including the origin of his trademark sweaters. He described his early years in television working as a floor manager for NBC on such shows as NBC Opera Theatre, The Kate Smith Hour, and The Gabby Hayes Show. He detailed his move into public television in 1953 with his work as the program director for WQED, Pittsburgh. He described his first children’s program The Children’s Corner (1954-61 WQED; 1955-56 NBC), which introduced several puppets later used on Mister Rogers. He talked about the importance of children’s programming and his longevity as a childrens’ show host. The interview was conducted on July 22, 1999 at WQED in Pittsburgh, PA.

The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation (which runs the Archive of American Television), in association with Ernst & Young LLP, is offering two scholarships in honor of Fred Rogers, the creator and host of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood. The scholarships are intended to support and encourage aspiring upper division or graduate students to pursue careers in children’s media and further the values and principles of Fred Rogers’ work.To see our original post about this amazing opportunity (and about our interview with Fred Rogers himself), click here. Hurry, there are only a few more “snappy new days” left to apply!

The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation, in association with Ernst & Young LLP, is offering two scholarships in honor of Fred Rogers, the creator and host of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood. The scholarships are intended to support and encourage aspiring upper division or graduate students to pursue careers in children’s media and further the values and principles of Fred Rogers’ work.

From 1967 to 2001, Fred Rogers produced his daily children’s television program, celebrating imagination and play, exploring children’s feelings and sense of self worth, and treating young viewers with love and respect. Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood continues to air on PBS stations throughout the United States and remains the gold standard of how television can enlighten, educate and increase social consciousness and understanding. The Archive of American Television was very honored to conduct his four-and-a-half hour videotaped interview (puppets and all) in 1999. Click here to access Fred Rogers’ Archive interview.

Two $10,000 scholarships are awarded annually to two qualified applicants. In addition to the monetary award, successful applicants are mentored by children’s programming professionals during the academic year.

The Fred Rogers Scholarships are made possible through the generous underwriting of Ernst & Young.

Congratulations to the winners of the Fred Rogers Memorial Scholarship presented at Saturday’s 33rd Annual Daytime Creative Arts Emmy Awards (see the press release below for details). In 1999, the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation’s Archive of American Television interviewed Mr. Rogers in-depth about his entire television career. Watch this amazing interview (and look for a few cameos by some of his favorite puppets) and see why he continues to be an inspiration to so many.

Interview description:

In his 4-1/2 hour interview, Fred Rogers described his work as the creator and host of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, which began its run in 1968. He described the show’s evolution, which started with Misterogers which he produced in Canada for the CBC. He described each aspect of the show including the origin of his trademark sweaters. He described his early years in television working as a floor manager for NBC on such shows as NBC Opera Theatre, The Kate Smith Hour, and The Gabby Hayes Show. He detailed his move into public television in 1953 with his work as the program director for WQED, Pittsburgh. He described his first children’s program The Children’s Corner (1954-61 WQED; 1955-56 NBC), which introduced several puppets later used on Mister Rogers. He talked about the importance of children’s programming and his longevity as a childrens’ show host. The interview was conducted on July 22, 1999 by Karen Herman in Pittsburgh, PA.

Graduate Students to Each Receive $10,000for Their Work in Children’s Media

NORTH HOLLYWOOD, CA. April 21, 2006 – The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation along with Ernst & Young LLP jointly announced that Nathalie Carrick and Nicholas Deysher are the recipients of the second Fred Rogers Memorial Scholarship. The announcement was made by Nancy Steingard and Vicki Ariyasu, Governors of the Television Academy’s Children’s Programming Peer Group and Andy Sale, Ernst & Young’s Media and Entertainment Leader for the Pacific Southwest Area.

The scholarships will be presented to the students at the 33rd Annual Daytime Creative Arts Emmy Awards on Saturday, April 22 in Los Angeles by Daytime Emmy® nominee, J.D. Roth (“Endurance: Tehachapi“). Carrick, who is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology at the UC Irvine, will be given the Research Scholarship. Deysher, a grad student in the University of Miami’s Media Writing and Production program, will be given the Production Scholarship. Each will receive $10,000 to support their aspiring careers in children’s media and furthering the values and principles of Rogers’ work. In addition to the monetary award, both will be assigned a mentor from the Television Academy’s Children’s Programming Group who will work with them during the academic year.

“Both Nathalie and Nicholas are students that devote their time to the field of children’s media and we are thrilled to be able to award these scholarships to them,” said Steingard. “They have both demonstrated a commitment to programming that reflects the values, creativity and spirit of Fred Rogers.”

Added Ariyasu, “We couldn’t ask for two better recipients to be emissaries of Fred Rogers and the Television Academy. Nathalie and Nicholas are both sincere and passionate about children’s media and their work truly best represents Rogers’ vision of using television to enlighten and inspire young children.”

“Ernst & Young is proud to underwrite this unique scholarship program,” commented Andy Sale, Ernst & Young’s Media and Entertainment Leader for the Pacific Southwest Area. “We share a commitment to promoting quality education and hope this scholarship encourages others to pursue a career in educational programming for children.” ….